ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lean — thin
  3. charge — in control
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bat — the animal
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mug — a face
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mug — a cup
  14. land — to come down
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mug — to rob
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. charge — a price
  21. land — ground
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. land — a country
  24. bound — certain

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com